All-weather high side unit for refrigerating and air conditioning systems



H. MALKOFF ETAL 3,299,657 ALL-WEATHER HIGH SIDE UNIT FOR REFRIGERATINGJan. 24, 1967 AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov.13, 1964 F l G 3 I INVENTORS TTORNEYS Jan. 24, 1967 H. MALKOFF ETALALL-WEATHER HIGH SIDE UNIT FOR REFRIGERAIING AND AIR CONDITIONINGSYSTEMS Filed Nov. 13, 1964 FIG.4

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3 299,657 ALL-WEATHER HIGHSIDEUNIT FOR RElFRltGlilR- ATING AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS Hyman Malkoff,Levittown, Pa., and Israel Kramer,

Trenton, N.J., assignors to Kramer Trenton Co., Trenton, N..I., acorporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 410,846 8Claims. (Cl. 62-259) This invention relates to an all-weather high sideunit for refrigerating and air conditioning systems, with air cooledcondenser, so called because it is designed for roof top installation,for indoor installation against a wall opening, or for outdoorinstallation against a building wall or free standing, which unit may beproduced in single or multiple form such as a multiplicity of these highsides mounted on a single frame for a single rigging or handling intransporation in order to facilitate mounting either upon the roof orupon the ground level; the invention having for its chief object anarrangement whereby the said unit or units may be serviced while theattendant is completely sheltered from freezing or inclement weather.

Another object is to provide such a unit or a pinrality thereof with asheltered space at the rear from which the attendant may convenientlyreach and service all of the operating parts.

Anotherv object is to provide for arranging a plurality of the units inback to 'back formation or in line side by side.

Another object is to provide an arrangement wherein such a unit may facean opening in a building wall, preferably fitted with louvers either inthe opening or constituting part of the unit itself, and be servicedfrom Within the building; or be located with an open back against anoutside wall.

.Another object is so to arrange the structure that the air stream orstreams induced by the condenser fan or fans enters or enterhorizontally at the front of the unit at condenser level, then carromsor carrom off the rear wall of the housing for the unit, or a buildingwall, takes or take a downward course to compressor level, and finallyexits or exit around the compressor at the front of the housing.

A further object is to provide certain improvements in the structurewhereby the above stated objects, and others inherent in the inventionmay be efliciently attained.

One of the problems of servicing such all weather units, which arerequired to operate year round especially when employed forrefrigeration, arises during bad weather conditions. This inventionoffers a solution to this problem by embodying a completely shelteredspace at the rear of the unit whether the latter is single or inplurality.

Again, as these units must be available for use in freezing temperaturesand frequently incorporate hermetic compressors, it is very advantageousto supply an air stream so directed as to cool the compressor body, itshead, and its motor housing, which notably increases the life andimproves the functioning of the motor-compressor combination, suchdesirable result being satisfied by the present invention.

Practical embodiments of the invention are represented in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 represents a top plan view of an assembly of four of the highside units arranged in pairs backto-back with a fully sheltered servicespace therebetween, and indicating the doors to the space as well as theso-called jifly hoods partly open at the front of the units;

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FIG. 2 represents an end view of the same with the doors removed, butshowing the roof over the whole assembly and the lights within theservice space, the course of the air streams being indicated by arrows;

FIG. 3 represents a similar view, illustrating a door to the servicespace in position;

FIG. 4 represents, on a larger scale, an end view of a single unit, or aplurality of units arranged in line with the service shelter at the rearand the course of the air stream again indicated by arrows; and

FIG. 5 represents, on the same scale, partly in elevation and partly invertical section, a single unit placed against the inside of an openingin a building wall with louvers in the unit at the opening.

In brief summary, the invention contemplates a high side unit or groupof units, including condenser and compressor, fully adapted forinstallation exposed to all conditions of weather but equipped with acompletely sheltered space for an attendant to service the working partsfrom the rear side of the unit or units, and so arranged that the airstream generated by the condenser fan or in pairs, back to back, on abuilding roof 5, with a sheltered service space 6 between the pairs. Thecondensers and their fans, two for each condenser, are shown in brokenlines and marked 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, and 10, 10. Doors (or access panels)at each end of the service space are indicated at 11, 12, while theso-called jiffy hoods for each unit bear the reference numerals 13, 14,15 and 16. These hoods, as is well known, are three sided, hinged attheir tops, and may be opened widely to offer inspection and servicingor opened partly to provide a duct for the discharge of the air currentto be hereinafter described, conventional means being fitted for holdingthem in both positions.

In FIG. 2, the roof over the whole group is shown and marked 17; lights(or electric outlets) are indicated at 18, 19, within the service space;and two of the compressors are denoted by 20, 21. The lower portions ofthe back walls of the units consist of removable panels 22, 23, that areconstructed in any suitable manner so that they may conveniently beremoved for servicing and thereafter replaced. As such constructions arewell within the skill of artisans and the detail thereof con stitutes nopart of this invention no mechanical showing thereof is deemed to berequired. Similarly, the jifiy hoods 13, 14, 15 and 16, should 'behinged to the units.

The end doors 11 and 12 for the service space may be hung in a usualmanner as indicated in FIG. 3, their hinges being marked 24.

As previously stated, the course of the air streams induced by thecondenser fans is indicated by the arrows on FIG. 2, and it will beobserved that, after traversing the condensers, the streams make andownward turn to bathe the compressors and then pass outwardly from theunits through the partly open jiify hoods.

The FIG. 4 end view of a single unit, which may be one of several inline, differs considerably from the form of the invention represented inFIGS. 13, but not in function. Here the unit as a whole is denoted by25, the condenser and its fans by 26, the compressor by 27, and theswinging jilfy hood by 28. The rear access panels of the unit may beremoved leaving openings 29 and 30, while the sheltered service space inback of the unit is constituted by a solid wall 31 and a roof 32 whichcovers the whole structure; a door 33 being suitably hinged to the wall31 as indicated at 34. In this arrangement the air stream follows acourse or path similar to that described in connection with FIG. 2, andagain indicated by arrows,

with the difference that, in this form of FIG. 4, the air carroms, so tospeak, off the rear wall 31 to turn and bathe the compressor on itsoutflow from the unit before discharging through the jiffy hood.

This form of the invention could be mounted on the outside of a buildingwall near the ground or backed up on the roof against the wall of anadjoining building, thus eliminating the necessity for the wall 31 ofthe unit as the servicing would be through the door 3-3 with the shelteras previously described.

A further modified form of the invention is presented in FIG. 5. Herethe unit is housed within a building, a portion of a vertical wall ofthe latter being denoted by 35, and having an opening 36 thereinsubstantially co-extensive in size with the unit so that the latter is,at its front, exposed to outdoor weather conditions. It is desirable toinstall, either in the wall 35 or in the housing of the unit (the latterarrangement being shown), a suitable number of louvers, two being marked37, which may be adjustable as usual.

In this embodiment or location of the unit, the servicing is through aflat normally closed but hinged panel or door 38 with the attendant, ofcourse, fully sheltered as he will be inside the building. The airstream, represented by arrows, follows the path previously explainedwith the same functional efiect, the condenser bearing the numeral 39and the compressor 40, while the panel or door 38 is closed duringoperation.

While, in the foregoing, the description has been limited to a high sideunit or units it should be understood that the same is or are adaptedfor connection in any suitable manner to the evaporator or evaporatorsand other usual elements of refrigerating or air conditioning systemsWhen put into use.

It Will be observed that each form of the invention shown and describedattains all the above listed objectives, as well as others that inherein the structures; and it should be understood that various changes maybe resorted to in the form, material and arrangement of the partsWithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, so that wedo not intend to be limited to details shown or described except as theyare included in the claims or be required by disclosures of the priorart.

What we claim is:

1. A high side unit for a refrigerating or air condition ing systemdesigned and adapted for installation in operative connection with abuilding exposed after'installation to weather conditions prevailing inany season or climate, said unit comprising at least compressor andcondenser housed within a casing having a back with at least one openingtherein to permit servicing, a movable closure for at least one of saidopenings, the condenser being air-cooled and elevated with relation tothe compressor, the casing having a front provided with at least oneopening to facilitate the flow of an air current through the condenserand thence downwardly around the cornpressor, and the unit beingconstructed with a sheltered servicing space for entry and protection ofan attendant,

2. A high side structure for a refrigerating or air conditioning systemdesigned and adapted for installation in operative connection with abuilding exposed after installation to weather conditions prevailing inany season or climate, said structure comprising at least two unitsincluding at least compressor and condenser and having a shelteredservicing space for entry and protection of an attendant, the unitsbeing arranged back to 'back with the servicing space therebetween and aroof over said space.

3. A structure as defined in claim 2, in which each unit includes acasing provided with a back having an opening to the servicing space.

4. A structure as defined in claim 3, which also includes a door for atleast one end of the servicing space.

5. A structure as defined in claim 4, in which there are four unitsarranged in pairs back to back.

6. A high side unit for a refrigerating or air conditioning systemdesigned and adapted for installation in operative connection with abuilding exposed after installation to weather conditions prevailing inany season or climate, said unit comprising at least compressor andcondenser and being constructed with a servicing space for entry andprotection of an attendant, the condenser being air-cooled and elevatedwith relation to the compressor, together with a vertical wall at therear of the compressor and condenser, which wall serves to turn anddeflect downwardly the air current drawn in by the condenser and causethe current to bathe the compressor.

7. A unit as defined in claim 6, in which the said wall constitutes partof the unit itself.

8. A high side unit for a refrigerating or air conditioning systemdesigned and adapted for installation in operative connection with thewall of a building having an opening therein approximately commensuratewith the size of the unit which latter is thus adapted to be positionedat the said opening with its front exposed to weather condi tionsprevailing in any season or climate, the said unit comprising at leastcompressor and condenser housed within a casing, the condenser beingair-cooled and elevated with relation to the compressor, the casinghaving a front provided with at least one opening to facilitate the flowof an air current through the condenser and thence downwardly around thecompressor, and also having a back provided with an opening therein forservicing the unit from within the building.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,027,845 1/1936Speicher 62-4298 2,478,617 8/1949 Anderegg 6226-3 XR 2,569,009 9/1951Kuempel 62-498 X 2,881,600 4/1959 Elfving 6-2-239 2,886,955 5/1959Bauman 62259 3,195,522 7/1965 Swenson 62-507 X 3,205,674- 9/ 1965 Arnold62259 X 3,242,686 3/1966 Bowman 62 -259 X MEYER BERLIN, PrimaryExaminer.

1. A HIGH SIDE UNIT FOR A REFRIGERATING OR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMDESIGNED AND ADAPTED FOR INSTALLATION IN OPERATIVE CONNECTION WITH ABUILDING EXPOSED AFTER INSTALLATION TO WEATHER CONDITIONS AT LEASTCOMPRESSOR AND CONCLIMATE, SAID UNIT COMPRISING AT LEAST COMPRESSOR ANDCONDENSER HOUSED WITHIN A CASING HAVING A BACK WITH AT LEAST ONE OPENINGTHEREIN TO PERMIT SERVICING, A MOVABLE CLOSURE FOR AT LEAST ONE OF SAIDOPENINGS, THE CONDENSER BEING AIR-COOLED AND ELEVATED WITH RELATION TOTHE COMPRESSOR, THE CASING HAVING A FRONT PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONEOPENING TO FACILITATE THE FLOW OF AN AIR CURRENT THROUGH THE CONDENSERAND THENCE DOWNWARDLY AROUND THE COMPRESSOR, AND THE UNIT BEINGCONSTRUCTED WITH A SHELTERED SERVICING SPACE FOR ENTRY AND PROTECTION OFAN ATTENDANT.